VOLUME 25, ISSUE 1 | January 3, 2025 |
THE WRITER IN
YOU
Do your family or friends give you books or book gifts for holidays? When they think of what to gift you, do they see you as a literary, wordsmithing addict? That's great if they do. That means you lead with your desire to write. You love the written word. If they don't think that way, however, do you even see
yourself in that light? It's early enough in 2025 to decide to make a difference as a writer. Start today. Decide your niche. Look for markets. Pitch to several. Decide on a word count and hit it before the sun sets tonight or rises tomorrow. When someone asks how you are doing, reply with
something positive, like what you are reading, what you are writing, or what you have published, regardless how small. Remind them you write. When people see me, they ask: - Are you writing on the next book? (Always yes.)
- When's the next book coming out? (I always have a month or season handy, such as "next fall.")
- Do you ever not write? (Always
no.)
- What have you published lately? (Always have an answer, even if it was six months ago.)
Guess what they don't ask me. - How many books have you sold?
- How many reviews do you have on Amazon?
- Have you won any awards?
First, readers don't care about the details of being a writer or how you published. They care about what you have done in very general terms. Their questions tell me they see me as a writer. Why? Because I always lead with the fact I am one and regularly write. Now, everyone who sees me asks something about writing, because they see me as
diligent. Don't hold back that you are a writer. Own it. And always be working on it. That's how you earn respect. That's how you become known. |
Reconnect to the fun and fulfillment of writing. Join IGNITE's supportive community of writers! Funds for Writers friends save an additional 25% with code: FFW25
Ignite provides editing, coaching, writing workshops, and gathering opportunities for writers. In Ignite's workshops you'll find encouragement, community, and input from other writers—if and when you want it. Find support, structure,
accountability, flexibility, and the inspiration you need to carry your project forward and Ignite YOUR Write. Make 2025 the year you Ignite Your Write. All workshops happen LIVE on Zoom :
Build & Burn : Sunday / Jan 12 / 9am PT/12pm
ET Saturday / Feb 15 / 9am PT/12pm ET Have questions about your work? Tired of writing in a vacuum? Trying to see your way forward? In the camaraderie of a small, live group of writers, read up to 300-words from any part of your
project-in-progress. Have the opportunity to give and receive input and encouragement. Learn from others what's working in your piece. Additionally, you'll have guaranteed writing or editing time, and other opportunities to share. All genres welcome! Illuminating Your Story : Wednesdays / Jan 8 - Feb 12 / 4pm PT/7pm ET Explore what makes your story tick in a small cohort of emerging and established writers. This workshop is ideal for writers with the ember of an idea for a book-length project. By the end of the workshop, you will have gathered the raw materials to begin or continue drafting with inspiration and new insights. Book Boost : Saturdays / Jan 11 - Feb 8 /
8:30am PT/11:30am ET Do you have a book-in-progress? Commit to working on it in the company of a small group of other writers doing the same. This Ignite signature workshop will help you refine, fine-tune, and make progress on your book. Learn more at igniteyourwrite.com HOW TO START WRITING
The habit is not easy to establish. Yes, I am one who preaches that you write daily, not when the mood strikes you. That's for hobbyists. If that's what you want to be, then fine. Just
decide and quit straddling the fence. Let's say you've never written seriously, or for very long a time. Let's start with this: 1) Find a way to journal daily. People write about themselves more easily than about any other topic. Do it longhand in some pretty leather thing or some
binder with a striking design, or do it online at a site like https://dayoneapp.com/. Do it long enough to where you think about it as something you have to do before the day is through. 2) Write an essay about your life. Look at Chickensoup.com and the like, where you can take a remarkable snippet of your life and do a 1200-word, first person accounting of it. They have themes, so
this makes you look at your life in terms of subjects and topics. It is good practice to write to a word count and a deadline. I have a friend who has published 30+ times in ChickenSoup books. (Plus, they pay $250.) So you can journal, but also convert a piece of your life into something marketable. 3) Once you are writing daily, look at markets in your wheelhouse. Your geography,
genealogy, profession, education, social life, and the list goes on. Any market that taps something about you is worth the query. Don't look at what they pay as intimidating. Pick the topic and query the editor. After all, you are querying about what you know, which makes you somewhat of an expert. 4) Once you publish a time or two, consider writing about other people's experiences.
Look at the same publications as yours, maybe writing about people with similar interests to yours. 5) Once you've published there, then venture into interviews of people for assorted publications. At this stage, you do not have to have to be an expert in the topic, but instead, you are an expert in writing. See what we did there? 6) From there, you consider writing about current events, intriguing professions, social justice, anything. Take your time such that the writing starts coming natural to you. Start slow and work up. Freelancing is totally doable once writing becomes second nature and a daily habit.
Create Your 2025 Writing Plan – a webinar for writers who are ready to take their writing practice to the next level When: Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, 10-11 a.m. MT
(12-1 p.m. ET) What: Join me for an inspirational and practical one-hour webinar that will help you craft a personalized writing plan for the coming year! Cost: $15 -January 6, 2025 - Night Harbor Book Club (clubhouse at Night Harbor SD), Chapin, SC - 7 PM - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC -January 9, 2025 - Newberry Fine Arts Club, 163 Boundary St., Newberry, SC - 10AM Eastern -March 18, 2025 - Readers and Writers Group, Lizards Thicket, 10170 Two Notch Road, Columbia, SC 29229 - 11:30AM -March 22, 2025 - Writer's Digest Mystery/Thriller Writing Virtual Conference - "Person, Place, or Crime: Where to Start Your Mystery" - 1PM Eastern -April 23, 2025 - Artist 5 Show, Newberry Opera House, Newberry, SC - 6 PM Eastern -
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC -May 3, 2025 - Pelion Library Book Club, 206 Pine St, Pelion, SC, Saturday, 1-2PM Eastern -May 17, 2025 - Speaking of Writing Expo, New Bern, NC -
8-4:30PM Eastern - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Email: hope@chopeclark.com to schedule events, online or
otherwise.
"There are no days in life so memorable as those which vibrated to some stroke of the imagination."
– F. Scott Fitzgerald
Hope - I subscribed to FFW on Dec 28, 2009 as a performer who wanted to do more writing. I have diligently taken your advice, writing, copying favorite passages and figuring
out why I loved them so, parsing out why I loved the writing for a limited series, all of it. At first, what grew was my collaborative performance creation work (it's a mix between structured improv and writing, back and forth until you have a script). From a show that took a year to make... to a company that creates 2 or 3 new performance pieces annually. The second big writing leap became my interactive mysteries (scripts that had lots of places for actors to add their own version of lines). And I continued to fill notebooks, dreaming of one day doing something even more "writerly". And finally, FINALLY, after 15 years of growing with your words and newsletter as guiding lights, I have my first 'larger world' success; my scripted large-cast sci-fi mystery podcast becomes available on January 4th, The Mysterious CHIRP. I'm simply blown away by its charm, and the terrific work of all the actors. Thank you for making my dreams come true. Holly Adams
https://themysteriouschirp.com
https://shearwaterproductions.com
<<If you have a success story you
believe was prompted by FundsforWriters, please share with us! Send to hope@chopeclark.com >>
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How Disabled Writers Can Turn a Disability into an Ability to Earn Money from Their Writing
By Dawn Colclasure
As a writer with disabilities, I took a while realizing that I could earn money writing about my disabilities. The chance to write articles relevant to the Deaf community for
a national newspaper was a game changer. There are a few ways writers living with disabilities can earn money writing about their disabilities.
Your Author Platform
If you have written a book about your disability, you have positioned yourself as an expert on the topic. I wrote an essay collection on deaf
parenting, resulting in people who wanted to hire Deaf writers contacting me for work.
Newspapers
Pitch articles on the topic of your disability to newspaper markets. Some disability-focused groups and organizations publish newspapers for their members. Look into regional groups especially. I once wrote for
a national newspaper published by the Communication Service for the Deaf. Even though I did not work there nor live in the area, I was asked if I was interested in joining the staff. Most newspapers focused on disability issues are not able to pay writers. However, national newspapers such as USA Today and The Daily Star are always interested in this topic and accept submissions.
Essays
Personal essays as well as creative nonfiction pieces shed light on what it's like to be in your shoes. Markets you can submit personal essays to include The Unwritten and Kaleidoscope.
Disability Activism
Because people with disabilities continue to face
discrimination and barriers, disability activism is fast becoming a strong force. These topics can include experiences of discrimination, a story of a person's fight for disability rights as well as profile pieces. You may have luck placing such pieces with sites such as Rooted in Rights.
Sharing True Stories
You may write writing profile pieces or excel in conducting interviews with individuals who are also living with a disability. These pieces could find a home at Breath and Shadow. This market is also open to poetry, fiction and reviews.
Columns and Op-Eds
I know one writer with Asperger's syndrome who writes a monthly column on life as an Aspie. Op-Ed pieces on a topic related to current events about
any disability can hold potential. The Washington Post (here and here) pays writers for Op-Ed pieces.
Disability-Focused Publications
While there are many markets open to specifically disabled writers, several of them focus on disabilities as a whole. Writers who live with certain illnesses or conditions can find publications and websites devoted to
them, and they may welcome submissions. Check out Mobility Deck, Abilities Magazine, SICK and Able News to learn more.
One way to stay updated on any issues which people with disabilities are facing or new programs
for those with disabilities, is to subscribe to a disability topic through Google Alerts. I do this to receive news about the Deaf community, and it has helped me come up with articles to write for certain markets. You can also subscribe to publications focused on a specific disability. Open Secrets, issue calls for disability-focused pieces for Disability Pride Month or Deaf Awareness Month, for instance. Publications are hungry for new material, especially from new voices.
Your disability is your superpower. It's your voice to the world. Use that voice in your writing to share your experiences so that those without the disability can walk away from your piece with a little more
awareness.
BIO: Dawn Colclasure is a Deaf writer living in Eugene, Oregon. She is a book reviewer, freelance writer and columnist. She's the author and co-author of several books, among them her collection of essays, Parenting Pauses: Life as a Deaf Parent. She has written about being Deaf and a Deaf parent for Disability, Pregnancy, Parenting
International, Mothering, Mutha Magazine and The Ability Toolbox. Her work has appeared in magazines, newspapers, websites and anthologies. She publishes The SPARREW Newsletter, a monthly newsletter for writers. https://dawnsbooks.com/ and https://www.dmcwriter.com/ X: @dawnwilson325 / Instagram dawn10325.
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GINA BERRIAULT AWARD
https://fourteenhills.submittable.com/submit
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 15, 2025.
The Gina Berriault Award (GBA) is a national award given to an emerging prose writer for an exemplary work-in-progress. The winner will have an excerpt of their winning submission published in the Fourteen Hills journal. Monetary award of $1,000.00 for the selected work. Submission must be at least 50 pages in length, and no more than 150 pages in length. STACY DORIS POETRY MEMORIAL
AWARD
https://fourteenhills.submittable.com/submit
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 15, 2025. The winning poet will receive $500 and publication in the Spring 2025 issue of Fourteen Hills. Following upon her spirit of creative invention, engaging wit and ingenious playfulness, discovery in construction,
and radical appropriations based on classical forms, pastiche, etc., and love, the Stacy Doris Memorial Poetry Award is given to a poet with a truly inventive spirit. Poem must be a minimum of 3 pages; maximum 10 pages. THE AVERY REVIEW ESSAY PRIZE
https://averyreview.com/issues/68/essay-prize-2025
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 31, 2025. The Avery Review, a journal of critical essays on architecture published by the Office of Publications at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, invites submissions for its eighth annual Essay Prize. The call is open to current students (undergraduate and masters) and recent
graduates, whether in schools of architecture or elsewhere (eligibility details below). In keeping with the mission of the journal, we hope to receive submissions that use the genres of the review and the critical essay to explore the urgent questions animating the field of architecture. One first-place prize ($4,000) and three second-place prizes ($2,000) across the various categories of eligible participants. The winning essays will be published in our June 2025 issue. Our essays are typically
3,000–4,500 words in length. HACHETTE CHILDREN'S NOVEL AWARD
https://newwritingnorth.submittable.com/submit/309306/hachette-childrens-novel-award-2025
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline
January 13, 2025. Open to debut writers of middle-grade children’s fiction and early teen fiction, living in the North of England at the time of entering. Accepts all kinds of children’s and early teen fiction, including but not limited to historical fiction, crime, science fiction, romance and fantasy. No collections of short stories or individual short stories. Seeking fiction for children aged 7-11 (at the younger end of this bracket the word count can be 15-30K; at the older
end, approx. 40K), or teen fiction for readers aged 11-13 (50-65K words), this should still exclude high-end or explicit content including swearing, sex and drugs. There will be two winners. The winning writers will be offered a financial prize of £3000 each; and a programme of mentoring opportunities with professionals at Hachette Children’s Group, including a minimum of 4 professional development sessions in a nine-month period, across editorial and design, sales, marketing and rights. Any
reasonable travel expenses will be covered by the publisher. Additionally, the winners will receive access to New Writing North’s programmes of support. NEW WRITERS FLASH FICTION COMPETITION
https://newwriters.org.uk/flash-fiction-competition/flash-fiction-entry/
£10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 31, 2025. 1st Place: £1,100; 2nd Place: £300; 3rd Place: £200. Word Limit 300. There are a limited number of free entries available to people from low income households. There is no specific theme. Open to anyone aged 16 years or older (at the time of entry) from anywhere in the world.
Deadline: February 27, 2025 Entries are now being accepted for the 2025 Next Generation Short Story Awards, a not-for-profit international awards program for authors of short stories. The Short Story Awards offers 30+ categories to choose from and accepts original, unpublished stories
(5000 words or less) written in English by authors in the U.S., Canada, or internationally. Take advantage of this exciting opportunity to have your story considered for 30+ cash prizes, gold medals, complimentary gold digital stickers, literary exposure and recognition as one of the top stories of the
year! Winners in each of the 30+ categories will have their story published in an annual Anthology of Winners (you maintain copyright) and will receive a complimentary copy of the Anthology of Winners. Three Finalists in each of the 30+ categories will have their author name and story title mentioned in the Anthology of Winners. Three Grand Prize Winners selected from all
entries will be invited to attend the Next Generation Indie Book Awards annual gala. Enter today at www.ShortStoryAwards.com. GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING UCROSS FELLOWSHIPS FOR NATIVE AMERICAN ARTISTS
https://www.ucrossfoundation.org/native-american-fellowships.html
Deadline January 15, 2025. Our
dedicated fellowship supports the work of contemporary Native American visual artists, writers, and performers. Selected fellows are offered a four-week residency, which includes uninterrupted time, private studio space living accommodations, meals prepared by our professional chef, a stipend, and the experience of the majestic High Plains. The Fellowship for Native American Artists also includes an award of $2,000 and the opportunity to present work publicly, such as a featured exhibition in
the Ucross Art Gallery, a reading, or a performance. ARTS IDAHO FELLOWSHIPS
https://arts.idaho.gov/grants/fellowships/
Deadline January 31, 2025. Fellowships reward the pursuit of artistic excellence,
promote public awareness of the arts, and help advance the recipient’s career. Eligible disciplines rotate on a two-year cycle. The Literature Fellowship recognizes artistic excellence in the areas of fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, screen writing, play writing, or other literary uses of the written word. Award amount: $5,000. VERMONT GRANTS
https://www.vermontartscouncil.org/grants/find-a-grant/artists/artist-development/
Deadline January 28, 2025. Artist Development Grants support Vermont artists at all stages of their careers. Grants can fund activities that enhance mastery of an artist’s craft or skills or that increase the viability of an
artist’s business. Applications meeting the eligibility criteria will be selected for funding using a random draw method. SIDNEY HILLMAN FOUNDATION LABOR AND WORKPLACE GRANT
https://thehillmanfoundation.submittable.com/submit/177308/labor-and-workplace-reporting-grants
Please submit a well-focused journalism story proposal of no more than three pages. Think of it as a pitch, much like you would submit to an editor: give us enough preliminary reporting and documentation to demonstrate that the story is solid. The proposal should highlight what’s new and significant about the story, why it matters
now, any unique access or documents you may have, and what its potential impact might be. There is no deadline. We will accept pitches on a rolling basis. The maximum grant will be $5,000 but grants of varying amounts will be awarded based on demonstrated need. You must have an outlet already attached. FRANCES FRANK ROLLIN FELLOWSHIPS
https://biographersinternational.org/award/the-frances-frank-rollin-fellowship/#apply
Deadline February 1, 2025. The Frances “Frank” Rollin Fellowship awards $5,000 each to two authors working on a biographical work about an African American figure or figures whose story provides a significant contribution to our
understanding of the Black experience. This fellowship also provides the recipients with a year’s membership in BIO, registration to the annual BIO Conference, and publicity through BIO’s marketing channels. A publishing contract is not required for eligibility. Biography as defined for this prize is a narrative of an individual’s life or the story of a group of lives.
JEWFOLK
https://tcjewfolk.com/about/write-for-us/
Topics range from personal Jewish experiences, reviews of Jewish media, your search for the NJP (Nice Jewish Person) and much more. If you
have a solid idea, we have the outlet. We appreciate community voices and happily pay our freelance writers $50-100 per article that we share with our growing audience. In addition to being published on TCJewfolk.com, your article will be shared on our social media channels and in our weekly emailed news digest. Word count 500-750 words. THE GAZETTE
https://gazette.com/contact/
Hiring freelance writers and photographers to cover stories throughout Colorado. Writers should have experience covering topics relevant to rural communities, including cost of living, water, energy, agriculture, healthcare, population growth, affordable housing, wildlife, outdoor recreation, and arts and entertainment. Candidates must have at
least two years of news experience, including some background in covering breaking news. The pay is $100 for a breaking news story and $250 for a multiple-source story of 1,000 words or more. Rates for longer enterprise or investigative pieces will be negotiated individually and can go up to $1,000. Pitch to Deputy Editor Jim Bates at jim.bates@gazette.com. DIALOGUE EARTH https://dialogue.earth/en/about/
Dialogue Earth is an independent non-profit platform dedicated to bringing compelling environmental stories from local voices to audiences around the world. We publish reporting, opinion and analysis in English, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, Urdu, Nepali, and Bengali. We welcome pitches for
articles between 1,000 and 1,500 words from journalists and experts. We will work with writers to develop their stories and do not accept pre-written pieces. Please send a brief initial outline of no more than 300 words to one of the editors listed. Fees for journalism are based on competitive market rates in the author’s region.
ALT CURRENT PRESS
https://altcurrentpress.com/submissions/
We’re seeking book-length manuscripts of literary fiction, short stories, plays, novels, long novellas, flash collections, or
hybrid. Please note that we do not publish children’s, middle-grade, NA, YA, or picture books, and our focus is not on commercial titles. Selected manuscripts receive book publication on Alternating Current Press, which includes distribution through Ingram and all major online retailers. We’re seeking book-length manuscripts of creative nonfiction, literary memoir, essay collections, or hybrid, and we’re seeking book-length manuscripts of poetry, experimental, prose poems, or hybrid
poetry. WTAW PRESS
https://wtaw-press.submittable.com/submit
WTAW Press provides several opportunities to submit manuscripts for publication during open reading periods. To stay current with our open reading periods and
other news, sign up for the newsletter. Welcomes submissions from writers of all backgrounds, including from new, emerging, and established voices. BETTY
https://www.wtawpress.org/betty
We prioritize books by authors who identify as
women. Our goal is to amplify the voices of writers from diverse cultures, ethnicities, races, ages, sexual orientations, socio-economic statuses, and identities. Betty is committed to fostering diversity, representation, and inclusivity in the literary world. Authors are brought in via a traditional acquisitions and editorial process and enter into partnership with the publisher—and each other. This offers a rigorous apprenticeship in the operation of an independent press and membership of a
group of writers. While preparing to send their own books into the world, Betty authors support the publication of the imprint’s other titles and take an active role in shaping Betty’s catalog. FOREST AVENUE PRESS
https://www.forestavenuepress.com/submissions
Forest Avenue Press will be open to unagented novel manuscript submissions in January 2025. Our committee of readers is seeking at least two literary novels by US residents for our 2026-27 catalog. We’re currently seeking novels that dazzle us with language and humanity. We will not accept submissions for short story collections, novellas, poetry, or nonfiction at this
time. MICROCOSM
https://microcosmpublishing.com/faq#submit-manuscripts
Microcosm specializes in nonfiction DIY (Do-It-Yourself) books, zines, and decks that focus on the reader and teach self-empowerment. The
most common reason that we cannot accept a submission is because the author didn't research the other books on their shelf at their local bookstores, so their book is not differentiated in any way. We are interested in creators with both expertise and lived experience that fit in listed subject area on the website.
Please forward the newsletter in its entirety. To reprint any editorials, contact hope@fundsforwriters.com for permission. Do not assume that acknowledgements listed in your publication is considered a valid right to publish out of ours.
C. Hope Clark
E-mail: hope@fundsforwriters.com
140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4
Chapin, SC 29036
http://www.fundsforwriters.com Copyright 2000-2024, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326 Our subscriber list is NOT made available to others. Use information listed at your own risk. FundsforWriters gives no warranty to completeness, accuracy, or fitness of the markets, contests, and grants although research is done to the best of our ability. FundsforWriters finds open submission calls, contests, and markets from a wide variety of sources, including Erika Dreifus' Practicing Writer newsletter, Erica Verrillo's blog, Authors Publish, Poets & Writers, Duotrope,
Winning Writers, Write Jobs Plus, LinkedIn Jobs, Emily Stoddard, and other newsletters and online sites. Many announcements are submitted directly to FundsforWriters. All must be paying opportunities. Contests must pay a minimum of $200 first place. Submit potential listings to hope@chopeclark.com **Note that FundsforWriters.com places paid advertising in this newsletter. ALL ads are related to writers and the business of writing, screened by FundsforWriters to make sure the information is suitable for writers and their endeavors to improve their careers. While the mailing list is not sold to third parties, other parties do advertise in the newsletter, to include
the occasional solo ad. You will not receive this newsletter without your permission. It's physically impossible since recipients must opt-in, giving us permission to send the newsletter. If at any time you no longer wish to receive the newsletter, click the UNSUBSCRIBE link at the bottom of each newsletter. We want you to enjoy this newsletter at your pleasure, not be forced to read anything you do not wish to receive. Direct any complaints, suggestions, and accolades to Hope Clark at hope@fundsforwriters.com. We are an anti-spam site. | |
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